Letter mentioned by Verlyn Flieger

Hibernia wrote:

Good afternoon.
At the Tolkien Society Christopher Tolkien Conference on Sunday, Verlyn Flieger mentioned poigniantly a letter (of 1958 IIRR) where JRR wrote "I cannot do this any more" (about some important aspect of his writings). Can anyone point me to where this letter has been published? I know Tolkien came to a point where he felt it was all beyond him, but I've never read the primary source.

Verlyn Flieger was referring to a statement (rather than a letter), found in Morgoth's Ring, see p. 370.

Thank you On The Trail. It seems that the statement has a subtle difference from what I stated (n doubt in error), in that it says "YOU [my caps] cannot do this any more", meaning, one, en, people, etc.

My marginalia at the time says "Yes, you can, it's a story!". I realised long ago that inventive writers can become levered apart from their own creations by time and change, and the only defence about this is to go with the creation and not worry too much about the change. After all, the telling of parables to followers who might appreciate a double meaning was not a new idea even in his day

The sun could be an apple. It has a core, a skin, and is eternally subject to the force of gravity!

Best to all.